Gunman's Absolution
by J. Silver
Summary: (Work in Progress, first fan fic…) “The reasons I had to stay mobile are no longer an issue. It sure would be nice to clear my name.” That wasn’t what Meryl had expected. “So you’re going to do what? Walk up to the Feds and ask nicely?”


When Knives awoke, he was a changed man. Vash wasn't so naïveas to think him radically changed and completely willing to atone, but it was evident—to Vash, anyway—that his brother's every movement that a radical question had been placed in a fundamental area of his soul.

The Insurance Girls—no, Meryl and Milly—had taken a bit longer than he'd liked to reconcile themselves to having a psychopath in the back room.

That was twenty-one days ago.

--

They both had been overjoyed at his return, an emotion that had a cold bucket of water dumped on it when he'd introduced his brother. The girls had at first been frightened, but Milly's seemingly supernatural compassion had kicked in as soon as she saw just how injured Knives had been. He watched Meryl stare after her partner as she tended to the wounds of the most dangerous man on the planet.

Vash had slumped exhausted on the girls' small kitchen table and gave Meryl a weak smile, bracing for the inevitable scolding—for bringing his brother back, getting shot, or for loosing his gun and coat? Instead, he saw her hesitate for a brief moment before she enfolded him in a hug. He thought his heart would stop.

"Welcome back," she whispered sincerely as he wrapped his arms around her. Barely a few fluttering heartbeats later she pushed away, blushing. "You're injured. Let's get these wounds treated!"

That was twenty-four days ago.

--

Every now and again he caught her looking at him, a question on her lips.

When she wasn't working, Meryl was never far from his side as he tended his brother, a hand on his shoulder, a wet rag for Knives forehead. Sometimes he'd drop in for a drink while she was working—she had to, they were too far from a Bernardelli office.

Even when she scolded him for "starting this early in the day" and leaving his "patient" unattended, a smile caught the edge of her mouth. And he'd patiently smile back at her, look thoroughly chastised, or whatever he thought would push her buttons at that particular moment. The barkeep knew their game by now, and soon became if not friendly, then comfortable around him.

He'd even offered to take Vash on as a bouncer, nineteen days ago.

--

"I need some time to be alone."

Meryl jumped as Knives set down his spoon. Not only was this the first time he'd eaten dinner with the three of them, but it was the first time addressed anyone besides a few whispered words to his brother. "So I'm leaving."

"I know you can track me down and shoot me again anytime it pleases you," Knives spoke evenly, and stared levelly at Vash who looked dually stricken. "Just so you know, I don't plan on going on a killing spree. I'm going today."

Milly bristled with surprise—the psychopath was talking about being on the loose again. On impulse, Meryl took Vash's hand under the table. She couldn't name what had possessed her to do that. But it felt right…

The tension around his eyes eased and he slipped his fingers between hers in a silent "thank you." After a moment, he squeezed her hand and rose from the table.

She looked down at her soup to avoid Knives' gaze which seemed fixed on the opposite wall and Milly went back to eating a moment later. Vash returned some five minutes later, a big bag over a shoulder.

His luggage. "All you'll need for travelling is in there. A few canteens, some rope, a multi-tool, a few maps, some dry rations, extra clothes, a towel." Vash set the bag down on the floor with a dull thud.

Knives sneered at him. "I don't need your—"

"I don't need it anymore." Vash cut him off with a firm gesture. He wanted to stay? Meryl squirmed in her chair.

Ten minutes later, Vash stood at the bottom of the steps, Meryl again his shadow as Knives stood regarding his brother. They stood a moment in silence before Vash reached into the long blue coat Meryl and Milly had made for him and drew out the revolver that he'd gotten the previous week.

"It's a dangerous road." Meryl and Milly gasped as he passed it and the holster to his brother, but it was Knives who was probably most surprised. "Look me up, okay?"

And Knives walked off on his long road eleven days ago.

--

A sighing breeze blew the heat of the day away and the sun set in a riot of blushing reds and deep mellow oranges.

The bluff above town had become one of Vash's favorite places to sit and when Milly suggested a picnic that was the first place to be suggested. So Vash, being the only one who _hadn't _gotten a job of sorts, had spent the better part of the afternoon getting the food together for when the girls got home.

The after dinner chatter had been subdued ever since he'd brought Knives back, though the girls had been as friendly as ever. A better time to broach the subject would never come, so…

"I've been on the move so long, it's hard to imagine being able to stay put—though it'll probably only be a matter of time before some bounty hunter's greed outgrows his better sense and comes after me again." He sighed and shrugged slightly, measuring the look on the faces of his dear friends, Meryl's in particular.

"The townspeople are used to you now, if anyone tried to do something I don't think they'd help." She replied, knowing he wasn't done yet, he'd been thinking about something again, that contemplative distance had haunted his eyes ever since his brother left. Perhaps he had come to a decision.

Milly handed them both a cup of tea before serving herself. Vash nodded his thanks and continued, after a hesitation. "The reasons I had to stay mobile are no longer an issue. It sure would be nice to clear my name."

That wasn't what Meryl had expected. "So you're going to do what? Walk up to the Feds and ask him nicely if he'd cancel the bounty?! It's not that simple."

"No," Vash replied simply as he turned slightly to look at her straight in the eyes. Then Meryl put the pieces together. "I'm turning myself in."

"WHAT!" Meryl shouted, almost spilling her cup as she jumped up to her feet. "That's crazy. Class G property damage is a minimum of… and you've also been accused of murder—" She gasped and almost collapsed back down, but Milly steadied her slump.

"At least they'll stop shooting at him," Milly smiled and added optimistically.

Tears welled up in her eyes as Meryl stammered, staring at the ground away from him. "M-Milly, he'll—they'll hang him."

She heard a tink and then felt a gentle hand lift up her chin. "Will you go with me? Please, Meryl?"

"Why are you even asking such a stupid question?" She angrily pushed his hand aside, regretting it a heartbeat later. "Of course I will."

That was nine days ago.


End file.
